The Portland Timbers scored three goals, a total that has usually resulted in a win. But that amount wasn't nearly enough Saturday night.

Portland could only watch as the Los Angeles Galaxy -- behind two goals from David Beckham -- conducted a goal-scoring clinic in an 11-minute span and went on to notch a wild 5-3 win over the Timbers in front of a sellout crowd of 20,438 at Jeld-Wen Field.

The Timbers (5-10-4, 19 points) played atrocious defense during that ugly 11-minute stretch in their first game since coach John Spencer was fired Monday. Interim coach Gavin Wilkinson will have some work to do with the defense before the Timbers play at Chivas USA on Wednesday.

"The defending ... was awful," Wilkinson said. "We had some key players not play as well as they could."

Noting the team has endured an emotional week with the coaching change, Wilkinson took the loss on his shoulders.

"I'll take the blame for this one. We've been trying to get through a lot this week," Wilkinson said. "(The players) get a pass on this one, because it's on me."

The Timbers allowed five goals for the first time in their short MLS history and lost for the third time in 10 games at home this season (5-3-2). More important, the loss prevented Portland from gaining any ground on the fifth-place Galaxy (8-10-2, 26 points) for the final playoff spot and sent the Timbers into last place in the Western Conference.

What made the result of this game surprising is the Timbers have usually played solid defense at home. Of their 24 total goals allowed this season, they had allowed 10 at home going into Saturday's game, but this match resembled one of those road games in which the players start hanging their heads after conceding a goal.

Then it's two goals Then three. And in this case, four.

"We didn't pick our heads up quick enough," Wilkinson said. "

Why the Timbers allowed Beckham -- known for long free kicks and shots -- to set up and blast a shot from 35 yards is perplexing. When Beckham curled in a free kick from 25 yards out five minutes later, the Timbers were dazed and the rout was on.

"We should've been able to apply pressure to one of the best ball strikers in the world and we're not applying pressure," Wilkinson said. "It was a lapse of concentration and we got punished."

The Timbers had the look of a team that was mentally beyond the sacking of Spencer when Boyd scored in the third minute. Kalif Alhassan gathered a ball on the right side and fired a cross into the box. Boyd deftly used his right foot to catch the ball on a half-volley and blasted it past Los Angeles goalkeeper Josh Saunders for his sixth goal of the season.

"At times we kept the ball and moved the ball well," Wilkinson said.

The fans' delirium, excitement and hope after the Spencer era lasted 16 minutes. Then the Galaxy stars took over the game.

Beckham, with a remarkable amount of time and space to wind up and shoot, scored the equalizer in the 19th minute. Five minutes later, Timbers right back Kosuke Kimura fouled Galaxy forward Landon Donovan, leading to Beckham taking a free kick from about 25 yards. This time, Beckham bent the ball inside the near post. Referee Baldomero Toledo called a foul on Kimura after he tangled with Los Angeles midfielder Michael Stephens inside the box and awarded the Galaxy a penalty kick. Donovan scored to give the Galaxy a 3-1 lead in the 27th minute.

The Galaxy weren't finished schooling the Timbers. Donovan easily shed left back Steven Smith on the right sideline and turned the corner before sending a sharp cross inside the box. Forward Robbie Keane timed his run perfectly and easily tapped in the first of his two goals.

When the dust settled and the Timbers sorted through the rubble, the Galaxy had scored four goals in a frighteningly short amount of time.

"It was a shock," Wilkinson said. "We were a bit blurry."

The Timbers didn't give up, after all, there were still 17 minutes remaining in the first half.

Kimura in the 34th minute atoned for his earlier errors by scoring his first goal in a Portland uniform -- second of the season -- after knocking in a ball that Saunders couldn't handle after a free kick by Boyd.

Keane scored his second goal in the 64th minute to give the Galaxy a 5-2 lead, but Boyd scored his second goal of the game in the 70th minute for his first two-goal game of the season.